Columbia Pike is part of a family of hospitals founded by Dr. Davis Hall. Before he ever owned a practice, Dr. Hall was the Army veterinarian who took care of the horses for funerals at Arlington National Cemetery, a short drive from our hospital in Annandale.
In our newest DVM Spotlight, he tells that story in his own words, including a horse named Black Jack.
Schedule an Appointment at Columbia Pike
Or call or text us at (703) 256-8414. We are open 24/7.
How did a Texas vet end up at Arlington?
Dr. Hall grew up in Ballinger, Texas, and graduated from Texas A&M. The Monday after he graduated, he reported to the Army at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.
The Army was supposed to send him to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Instead, it sent him to the Military District of Washington. He had never been to Washington. The farthest he had been from home was Dallas.
What did an Army vet do for the caisson horses?
At many military funerals at Arlington, a team of horses pulls a caisson that carries the casket. The soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, ride and lead those horses. Dr. Hall's job was keeping the horses healthy.
“I didn't march with them and go to the Arlington Cemetery. I was just a grunt that took care of them.”
Dr. Davis Hall, in our DVM Spotlight video
He remembers that there were so many funerals every day.
Who was Black Jack?
One of the horses there was Black Jack. Black Jack became famous as the riderless horse at President Kennedy's funeral in November 1963. He walked behind the caisson with boots turned backward in the stirrups. As Dr. Hall explains in the video, the boots show the fallen leader looking back on his life.
According to the U.S. Army, Black Jack also walked in the state funerals of Presidents Herbert Hoover and Lyndon B. Johnson and General Douglas MacArthur. He was the last horse the Army issued through its Quartermaster system, and he is one of only two horses in U.S. history buried with full military honors.
Dr. Hall has a Black Jack story of his own. A client painted a picture of the horse for him in exchange for spaying her cat.
What connects Columbia Pike to Dr. Hall?
Dr. Hall is the founder of our family of hospitals. In 1974, he took over Town and Country Animal Hospital in Fairfax, and the family grew from there. Today his son, Dr. Reed Hall, owns Columbia Pike, Town and Country and Animal Clinic of Clifton.
“I've always felt if you treat people the way you want to be treated, follow the golden rule, you don't have to worry about business, because it'll come if you treat people that way.”
Dr. Davis Hall
That rule is behind every visit at Columbia Pike, from a wellness exam to an emergency in the middle of the night.
How do you book an appointment at Columbia Pike?
Book online at columbiapikeanimalh.com/schedule-appointment, or call or text us at (703) 256-8414.
Schedule an Appointment at Columbia Pike
Or call or text us at (703) 256-8414.
Is it an emergency?
Come straight in. Columbia Pike is open 24/7, with no additional emergency fee. Call us at (703) 256-8414
Columbia Pike Animal Hospital & Emergency Center, 4205 Evergreen Ln, Annandale, VA 22003. Love People. Love Pets.